Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jquental / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Spotted Piculet
Picumnus pygmaeus
Spotted Piculet (Picumnus pygmaeus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Spotted Piculet (Picumnus pygmaeus) is a member of the Picidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 11 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Piciformes
- Family Picidae Woodpeckers
- Genus Picumnus
- Species pygmaeus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Picidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Spotted Piculet is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Spotted Piculet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Spotted Piculet (Picumnus pygmaeus) is a member of the Picidae family, within the order Piciformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA e Brazil.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11 g, with a wing length of about 5.2 cm and a tail of around 2.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 837,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Spotted Piculet?
The Spotted Piculet is a very small bird that weighs around 11 g.
Where does the Spotted Piculet live?
The Spotted Piculet is found across South America with a range covering SA e Brazil, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Spotted Piculet belong to?
The Spotted Piculet (Picumnus pygmaeus) belongs to the Picidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Spotted Piculet eat?
The Spotted Piculet is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Spotted Piculet migrate?
The Spotted Piculet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Spotted Piculet endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Spotted Piculet make?
1 real field recording of the Spotted Piculet — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Spotted Piculet's range?
The Spotted Piculet has a mapped global range of about 837,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Picidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Woodpeckers & Toucans
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Suet Feeders for Woodpeckers
How to choose a suet feeder for woodpeckers — the styles compared, why a tail prop helps, and how to keep starlings off. A decision framework with the woodpecker species in the Birbs encyclopedia.
Meet the Picidae
A field guide to the Picidae family — 239 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.